The Third Way

 

Just Three?

The famous Christmas Oratorio from J.S. Bach is actually a bit of a misnomer. Half of the work is dedicated to the Season of Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas, and half covers the Season of Christmas which takes place over the two weeks following Christmas Day. Such a structure makes for tidy listening across 2CDs too.

Italian conductor Riccardo Chailly's 'Third Way' is a bit commonplace today. Essentially, he coined a term which is defined as using a modern-instrument orchestra, but the musicians employ elements of period-performance practice. This recording will divide listeners mostly over speeds, as the performances themselves are wonderful - orchestra, chorus, and soloists alike.

A review from 2020

Italian conductor Riccardo Chailly furthers his touted “third way” in this performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in collaboration with a scaled-down, but stellar Gewandhaus Orchestra on 2-CD’s. This is the third in a series of modern-instrument recordings of Bach by Chailly and the Gewandhaus, the first being the Brandenburg Concertos followed by the St. Matthew Passion, both also on Decca.

The Christmas Oratorio is essentially 6 Advent/Christmas cantatas (20-30 minutes each) smooshed together for continuity, but could easily exist separately. I am not a regular Bach music listener, but I find myself surprised at how much variety his cantatas have; it easily keeps the listening fresh throughout and rarely do they overstay their welcome. And while most of the movements are choral numbers and solos for individual voices, Bach is remarkably masterful with the few solo-ensemble movements he writes: the bass/soprano duet is wonderful, the echo soprano aria in the 4th part is captivating, the complex trio in the 5th part is a master stroke, and the final recitative for all of the solo voices together really ramps up the work for a satisfying conclusion.

This is easily the swiftest recording of the Christmas Oratorio around; most recordings seem to take around 2 hours and 30 minutes, give or take, and Chailly brings this music in at 2 hours 12 minutes. Chailly’s “third way” is an attempt to broker peace between the lovers of the period-practice movement and those who prefer modern orchestral sonorities. And so, here we have the Gewandhaus Orchestra on modern instruments, but slimmed down in numbers of players, but taken at tempos that forge ahead in the style of period orchestras. The tempos are definitely surprising, particularly the opening choral numbers of each cantata, as well as the occasional aria, but Chailly does attempt to give them a hearty swing, and the Gewandhaus is certainly virtuosic enough to handle the pace. I don’t know…sometimes the tempos seem glib and showboat-y; yet there is an immediate excitement created with no fear of poor playing on the part of the orchestra, and Chailly seems intelligent enough to vary the speeds from movement to movement to avoid fast tempo fatigue.

The Dresden Chamber Choir is very stylish sounding and pleasing overall. They too are not a huge symphonic chorus, yet far from the one-voice-per-part that is popular in Baroque music. I really like how they make music out of each chorale, and there are quite a few here, rather than sung impenetrably as a monument set in stone. Sometimes I question their phrasings, oddly short as if attempting to highlight texts, but overall they manage to sound suave with a full, commanding largesse in the big moments. Chailly is also not impetuous with the chorales, giving some choral grounding in the overall structure.

The team of soloists are headed by English soprano Carolyn Sampson who seems to hold back from using too large a voice, but is always a delight. The two German tenors are of the light-voiced variety, but are well sung in the larger Evangelist role and arias. The alto doesn’t leave an indelible impression on me, but the famous Zion and Schlafe solos sound good. The bass is probably my favourite, a larger, more commanding voice that is gratifyingly solid across his range without undue darkness or strain. A solid team overall.

Most appreciable is the lack of a grating harpsichord in favour of an organ, and a subtle one at that. The cello/bass/bassoon and organ continuo team give much need personality and variety to each movement without taking away the focus of the voices. For me, this aspect often becomes a deciding factor.

It is interesting to see the trends of this work on record. There doesn’t seem to have been a major wide-release of a modern orchestra recording Bach’s Christmas Oratorio since the 80’s; and it is long overdue, for rarely do I particularly enjoy period strings and winds despite its historical relevance. Of these though, Harnoncourt’s later recording on Harmonia Mundi with adult singers leans towards dramatics with solid soloists, Stephen Layton on Hyperion lays toward the English side of things, although only Diego Fasolis on Arts Music, also with an organ continuo, come closest to Chailly’s timings if you prefer fleet tempos, but he uses a male alto which is not to my tastes at all. On the other hand, I like the old guard too and even at 2 hours and 45 minutes, Karl Richter on Archiv keeps things dramatic and spiritual alongside the fabulous Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, and Fritz Wunderlich, but it will only appeal to those who like that big, granitic style. It’s good stuff though!

I do really like this recording, Chailly keeps things from being weighed down or seeming too stale, yet he strikes hard when it is needed and the virtuosity of the Gewandhaus is impressive at some of the speeds. The Dresden Chamber Choir and soloists only add to the positives involved here with hardly a weak link. I am not always enthusiastic though, sometimes he barrels through the arias and choruses without reflection, although thankfully they don’t dilly-dally in the recitatives, and it keeps me from giving this performance top marks. I can, however, understand the high praise this recording receives and it easily comes Recommended.

 

 

 

Works
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248

Soloists
Carolyn Sampson, soprano
Wiebke Lehmkul, contralto
Martin Lattke, tenor/Evangelist
Wolfram Lattke, tenor
Konstantin Wolff, bass

Performers
Dresden Chamber Choir
Gewandhaus Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly, conductor

Label: Decca
Year: 2010
Total Timing: 2.12.23

 

 

 

 

I am not going to pretend this recording destroys all others. There is a place for so many lovely recordings across the decades.

Yet it is good to hear a full Gewandhaus performing Bach in the 21st Century. Plus, who can resist the siren song of Carolyn Sampson?

Not I.

 

 

 

 

 

Find more Bach recordings HERE!